How did Empie Park in Wilmington, NC get its name?

How did this Wilmington city park, home of the Althea Gibson Tennis Complex, get its name?

Plans for a park behind Hanover Center received a boost when the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the city an $80,500 grant. Theodore and Evelyn Empie had left the city $270,000 to build a park and playground in memory of their daughter, Virginia Pearson Empie, who had died as a child in 1905.

The park was built in 1966 and its full name is Virginia Pearson Empie Park. Virginia died when she was just 3 years old.

Located on Independence Boulevard between Park Avenue and Wrightsville Avenue, the facility features tennis and basketball courts, a playground and a picnic area. It is also home to the Wilmington Dog Park at Empie, which opened in August 2006. The dog park covers 2 acres and is open from sunrise to sunset.

The Wilmington Cross City Trail runs through Empie Park and features a paved walking/running/biking path around the park.